Can



R. STUART Nov. 1, I966 CAN Filed May 15, 1964 INVENTOR Rosem- STUART IIII I I I I I r- I l I I I I I ATT'Y.

United States Patent 3,282,463 CAN Robert Stuart, Chicago, 111., assignor to National Can Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 13, 1964, Ser. No. 367,154 11 Claims. (Cl. 22054) This invention relates to improvements in cans of the type having a reclosable cover.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a can having a removable and replaceable cover that seats on the can body and wherein the can body has a retainer for the cover that prevents accidental retraction of the cover from the can, as for instance, should the can he accidentally tipped over.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can of the type stated in which the retainer prevents accidental retraction of the cover by overlying the periphery of the cover, but the overlap between the cover and retainer is insufficient to prevent the cover from yielding within elastic limits to pass over the retainer as the cover is manually urged toward the seat and retracted from the seat during removal and replacement of the cover.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a can of the type stated in which the cover seat and the cover retainer are radially inwardly directed bead- -like formations on the can body wall which lie on opposite sides of the peripheral part of the cover and with the formation or formations constituting the cap retainer projecting radially inwardly an amount less than the formation or formations constituting the seat.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a can of the type stated in which the peripheral part of the cover is of suflicient thickness to span the space between the seat and retainer so that the cover is held snugly there-between when in closed position on the can.

It is another and important object of the present invention to provide a can of the type stated in which the cover underlies a can end that is seam-sealed or otherwise secured to the end of the can body in a manner to provide an hermetic seal across that end of the can body, and wherein the can end is fracturable to remove a portion thereof sufii-cient to form an opening through which the underlying cover may be withdrawn and reinserted. Thus, the present invention provides an hermetically sealed can with a reclosure that is overlaid by a bead like formation to prevent the reclosure from accidentally falling out of the container after the hermetically sea-ling can end has been removed from the can.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a can constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the can after severence and removal of a part of the can end; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, normal to the central axis of the can, and showing a modified form of the present invention.

Referring now in more detail to the drawing, 1 designates a can having a can body 2 with a cylindrical body wall 4 that is formed by a rectangular sheet of tinplate, blackplate, aluminum, or the like, the margins of which are locked and solder sealed together to form a longitudinal body seam 5. Can ends 7, 8 are secured to the opposite ends of the body 2 by conventional lap seams 10,

11 that are formed by the peripheral material of the can ends 7, 8 and the adjacent material of the body wall 4. The can ends 7, 8 may be fabricated of any suitable material, such as sheet aluminum or tin-plate.

The can end 7 has an annular zone of fracture adjacent to the seam 11). This zone of fracture may he simply the circular region at which the can end 7 may be cut by a conventional can opener to remove the central part 19 of the can end. Preferably, however, the zone of fracture consists of a suitable tear strip 13. This tear strip 13 may be of generally circular configuration and defined by score lines 14, 15, 16, the latter of which extends between the score lines 14, 15. A tab 18 may be welded, riveted, or otherwise suitably secured to the strip 13 adjacent to the score line 16 to initiate tearing along the score line 16 and subsequent tearing of the stiip 13 along the score lines 14, 15. This severs the central part 19 of the can end 7 from the remainder thereof to leave an opening 241 in the can end 7.

Underlying the can end 7 is a one piece removable and replaceable cap 22. By way of example, but not of limitation, the cap 22 may be fabricated from high impact strength polystyrene or medium density polyethylene. The cap 22 has a central generally cylindrical hollow knob 24, the upper end of which has a radially outwardly projecting bead 25. Immediately surrounding the base of the knob 24 is an upwardly inclined conical wall 27 which terminates at its radially outer end in a generally planar wall 28. The radially outer end of the wall 28 terminates in an annular flange or curl 30 that constitutes the peripheral part of the cap 22. The extreme end of the curl 30 need not be turned back to abut the wall 28 so that the curl may have a modicum of yield-ability axially of the cap 22.

A radially inwardly directed bead-like indentation 32 is formed in the body wall 4 below the curl 31?. This indentation 32 extends circumfererntially around the wall 4 and has a minimum internal diameter which is substantially less than the maximum external diameter of the curl 31) so that the axially upper side 34 of the indentation 32 constitutes an annular ledge or seat for the curl 30. A second annular bead-like indentation is inwardly formed in the body Wall 4 in axially spaced relation to the indentation 32 and above the curl 30. The bead 35 has a minimum internal diameter which is greater than the external diameter of the curl 39 by an amount suflicient to retain the cap 22 on the seat 34 and prevent the cap from falling out of the can and spilling the contents therein should the can he accidentally tipped over after the can end section 19 has been removed from the can. The internal diameter of the bead 35 relative to that of the external diameter of the curl 30 is, however, sufliciently great that the cap 22 may yield within elastic limits to allow the curl 30 to snap over the indentation 35 as the cap 22 is removed from or replaced on the seat 34. The conical wall 27 enhances the yieldability of the cap 22 radially inwardly by reason of the hinging of the Walls 27, 28 at their juncture 37 and the hinging of the wall 27 with the base of the knob 24 at the juncture 39.

The axial spacing of the indentations 32, 35 are preferably such that the curl 30 spans the axial spacing therebetween. This enables the curl 30 to fit snugly between the indentations 32, 35 and thus retain the cap 22 firmly in place when on the can.

A modified form of the present invention is shown in FIG. 4. In this form of the invention the bead-like identation 35 may be in the form of discontinuous sections 41, 41, 41 around the circumference of the body 4. The sections 41, 41, 41 project inwardly the same amount as the continuous indentation 35 and serve the same function of retaining the cap on the seat 34. Furthermore, for some products it may be possible to have the indentation 32 in J discontinuous sections around the circumference of the can body 4.

The resilient plastic cap 22 may, if desired, be flexed downwardly by the can end 7 when the latter is seamed onto the body wall 4. Then the cap 22 will impose resilient pressure upwardly on the can end 7 so that when the latter-is fractured, the cap 22 will flex upwardly to its normal shape and raise the severed can end section 19 to aid in the removal thereof.

In compliance with the requirements of the patient statutes I have herein shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise construction herein shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What is new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising a container body having an end portion and an enveloping body wall that surrounds the central ,axis of said body, a cap-supporting seat on said body at said end portion and projecting toward said central axis and defining an opening, a removable and replaceable resilient cap for said end portion and having a peripheral part supported on said seat and closing the opening defined by said cap seat, and cap-retaining means axially intermediate said peripheral part of the cap and the adjacent axial end of the body for preventing accidental retraction of the cap from said end portion, the cap-retaining means being on the body and projecting toward said central axis an amount less than the extent of projection of said seat toward said axis but sufiicient to provide axial interference with the peripheral part of the cap, said cap being sufficiently resilient to enable its peripheral part to pass over the cap-retaining means as the cap is manually urged toward the seat and retracted from the seat during removal and replacement of the cap.

2. A container comprising a container body having an open end portion and an enveloping body wall, a cap-supporting seat inwardly struck from the wall at the open end portion, a removable and replaceable resilient cap having a peripheral part seated on the cap-seat, and cap retaining means between said peripheral part and the adjacent axial end of said body to prevent accidental retraction of the cap from said open end portion, said cap-retaining means being inwardly struck from the wall an amount sufiicient to provide axial interference with said peripheral part, the cap being sufiiciently resilient to enable the peripheral part to pass over the cap-retaining means as the cap is manually urged toward the seat and retracted from the seat during removal and replacement of the cap.

3. A can comprising a cylindrical can body having an open end portion, first and second axially spaced bead means on the body at said open end portion and each projecting radially inwardly toward the interior of the body, a resilient removable and replaceable cap for the open end portion and having an annular peripheral part confined between the two bead means, the bead means that is most remote from the adjacent axial end of the body constituting a seat for said peripheral part of the cap, the other head means having an internal diameter that is less than the external diameter ofsaid peripheral part of the cap by an amount sufficient to prevent accidental retraction of the cap from the body but insufiicient to prevent the peripheral part of the cap from yielding within elastic limits to pass thereover as the cap is manually urged toward the seat and retracted from the seat during removal and replacement of the cap.

4. A can according to claim 3 in which the cap is plastic and the peripheral part of the cap spans the axial space between the two bead means.

5. A can comprising a can body having an annular body wall, a can end sealed to the body and being fracturable along an annular zone adjacent to its periphery to provide an opening therein, a removable and replace able closure underlying the can end and accessible for sure, second means overlying the peripheral part of the closure, the two means being radially inwardly directed I formations on the wall with the second means extending radially inwardly an amount sufiicient to provide axial interference with the peripheral part of the closure to prevent accidental retraction of the closure therepast but insufiicient to prevent the closure from yielding within elastic limits to permit said peripheral part to pass thereover as the closure is manually urged toward and retracted from the seat during removal and replacement of the closure.

6. A can according to claim 5 in which the peripheral part of the cap spans the axial space between the two means and the cap has grip-forming means to facilitate manipulating same.

7. A can comprising a can body having an annular body wall, a can end sealed to the body and being fracturable along an annular zone adjacent to its periphery to provide an opening therein, a removable and replaceable closure underlying the can end and accessible for withdrawal through said opening upon fracture thereof, first means underlying the peripheral part of the closure and constituting a seat for the peripheral part of the closure, second means overlying the peripheral part of the closure and providing axial interference therewith for preventing accidental retraction of the closure therepast but permitting manual removal from and replacement of the closure on the seat, the two means being radially inwardly directed formations on the wall and the second means extending radially inwardly an amount less than part of the first means.

8. A cap according to claim 7 in which the two formations extend circumferentially around the body wall.

9. A can comprising a can body having an enveloping body wall, a can end seam-sealed to the can body by the peripheral material of the can end and the adjacent material of the body wall and forming an hermetic seal at the end of the body, said can end having a tear strip defining a zone of fracture adjacent to the seam for tearing the can end and removing a portion thereof to provide an opening into the can body, a removable and replaceable resilient plastic cap underlying the can end and being of such size as to be removable through the opening upon fracture of the can end, said cap having grip-forming means for manipulating same, first means underlying the peripheral part of the cap and constituting a seat for said peripheral part, second means overlying said peripheral part, said peripheral part axially spanning the space between said two means, the two means being inwardly directed circumferentially extending bead-like formations on the wall with the second means extending radially inwardly an amount less than that of the first means, said second means also providing sufficient axial interference with said peripheral part to prevent accidental retraction of the cap therepast but insuflicient to prevent the cap from yielding within elastic limits to pass thereover as the cap is manually urged toward and retracted from the seat during removal and replacement of the cap.

10. A can according to claim'9 in which the cap imposes pressure on the can end to lift the severed part of the can end upon fracture thereof.

11. A can comprising a can body having an enveloping body wall, a can end seam-sealed to the can body by the peripheral material of the can end and the adjacent material of the body wall and forming an hermetic seal at the end of the body, said can end having means defining a zone of fracture adjacent to the seam, a removable and replaceable resilient cap underlying the can end and being of such size as to be removable through the opening in the can end that results from fracture thereof along said zone, said cap having a peripheral part and gripforming means inwardly of said peripheral part for manipulating the cap, first means underlying the peripheral part of the cap and constituting a seat for the cap, said first means defining an opening into the part of the can body therebelow that is closed by said cap and which part of the can body houses the contents of the can, second means overlying the peripheral part of the cap and providing axial interference therewith for preventing accidental retraction of the cap therepast but being sized to permit the cap to yield elastically and radially in wardly to move therepast upon gripping the grip-forming means and pulling the cap axially away from the seat, said second means and said peripheral part of the cap being spaced a substantial distance axially inwardly of said can end, the two means being adjacent inwardly directed bead-like indentations on said body wall and the References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,133,669 5/ 1964 Scholtz 22042 3,204,810 9/ 1 965 Eckman 22060 3,208,627 9/1965 Lipske 220-54 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER COMPRISING A CONTAINER BODY HAVING AN END PORTION AND AN ENVELOPING BODY WALL THAT SURROUNDS THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID BODY, A CAP-SUPPORTING SEAT ON SAID BODY AT SAID END PORTION AND PROJECTING TOWARD SAID CENTRAL AXIS AND DEFINING AN OPENING, A REMOVABLE AND REPLACEABLE RESILIENT CAP FOR SAID END PORTION AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL PART SUPPORTED ON SAID SEAT AND CLOSING THE OPENING DEFINED BY SAID CAP SEAT, AND CAP-RETAINING MEANS AXIALLY INTERMEDIATE SAID PERIPHERAL PART OF THE CAP AND THE ADJACENT AXIAL END OF THE BODY FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL RETRACTION OF THE CAP FROM SAID END PORTION, THE CAP-RETAINING MEANS BEING ON THE BODY AND PROJECTING TOWARD SAID CENTRAL AXIS AN AMOUNT LESS THAN THE EXTENT OF PROJECTION OF SAID SEAT TOWARD SAID AXIS BUT SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE AXIAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE PERIPHERAL PART OF THE CAP, SAID CAP BEING SUFFICIENTLY RESILIENT TO ENABLE ITS PERIPHERAL PART OF PASS OVER THE CAP-RETAINING MEANS AS THE CAP IS MANUALLY URGED TOWARD THE SEAT AND RETRACTED FROM THE SEAT DURING REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE CAP. 